Page 7 - Anti-Racism Pocketbook for Schools

Understanding Racial Prejudice

Racism and racial prejudice is often shown through the behaviour

and attitudes that we express to others. With this country’s
history of slavery, colonialism, and the constant marginalisation

of ethnic people, these behaviours and attitudes have

unfortunately become severely ingrained into the fabric of the UK

society.

In our society, white is the default standard that we see. Imagine

you are walking through Primark because you need to find a nude

set of leggings or you are walking through the pharmacy because
you are looking for nude band aids to cover scars, the immediate

product that would be available under the term ‘nude’ would be

white. For a lot of ethnically diverse people, it is frustrating that

white is a default for nude when it should be a universal

description for all shades of skin colours and people. This
normative standard surrounding whiteness translates outside of

clothing stores or pharmaceutical items.

The dominance that surrounds the ideology of whiteness means

that ethnic individuals are usually compared, judged, and made

to feel inferior to the white population. This has subsequently

caused white people to build a system that supports, promotes,

and benefits them disproportionately to ethnically diverse
individuals.

This is why we often see conversations surrounding the topics of
white supremacy, white silence, and white privilege. These

interlocking discussions motive racism due to the fact that White

people are able to continuously oppress and subject ethnically

diverse people to harm without severe repercussions.

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